Eggnog: History and an Alcohol-Free Recipe

Published October 24, 2026 · GiveOwl

Eggnog is a creamy, spiced holiday drink that people either love or loathe. This page covers where it comes from and gives a simple, alcohol-free recipe made with a cooked egg base, which is the safe way to make it at home.

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A short history

Origins: Smithsonian Magazine says eggnog is believed to come from the medieval British "posset", a mixture of hot milk or cream, wine or ale, and spices. Eggs and sherry were expensive, so it was mostly a drink of the British elite.
The name: It reached North America in the mid-1700s. The word "eggnog" first appears in a poem by the Maryland minister Jonathan Boucher around 1774.
Washington: George Washington was known to serve his own version to guests at Mount Vernon. The magazine also describes a riot at West Point in 1826, when cadets served eggnog at a Christmas party despite the academy's ban on alcohol.
Today: Smithsonian Magazine says Americans drink more than 15 million gallons of eggnog a year. Versions around the world include the Puerto Rican coquito and the Mexican rompope.

Why a cooked base?

Washington State University Extension, in a text adapted from the FDA, says homemade eggnog causes cases of Salmonella each year, usually from raw or undercooked eggs.
The FDA advises starting with a cooked egg base: cook the egg and milk mixture gently to 160°F, stirring constantly, then chill it before adding the other ingredients. This matters most when serving young children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
The text also says you cannot count on alcohol to kill the bacteria, and suggests pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes as alternatives; even with pasteurized eggs, the FDA and USDA recommend a cooked base.

Simple alcohol-free eggnog

Makes about 3 cups, enough for 4 small servings. Our own recipe; we have not kitchen-tested it. It contains no alcohol.

Ingredients

2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar and a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus a little more for serving

Method

Heat the milk and cream in a saucepan until steaming. Do not let it boil.
Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a bowl. Slowly pour in about a cup of the hot milk, whisking constantly, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens slightly and a food thermometer reads 160°F. Do not go much past 160°F, or the eggs may curdle. If they do, blend until smooth.
Strain into a bowl or jug, stir in the vanilla and nutmeg, and cool quickly over a bowl of ice water.
Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Whisk before serving and top with a little nutmeg.

Keep the eggnog refrigerated, follow the two-hour rule when serving, and discard anything left out too long. Use leftovers within four days, in line with USDA's guidance for leftovers.

This is our own simple recipe with everyday ingredients – we have not kitchen-tested it, so treat times and temperatures as a guide and adjust for your oven. Allergens: depending on the recipe it contains wheat (gluten), milk and eggs; check every label for traces of nuts, soy and other allergens before you cook for other people.